Tomorrow is the final day-trip opportunity to experience the island in its full spring glory.

The trip departs from the pier-side at Donaghadee at 10.30 am.

The trip includes an island tour, a look at some of the habitat and bird-ringing activities carried out by the observatory, and some free time to wander, bird-watch, or just loaf around! There is a good chance of seeing Manx Shearwater, Arctic Tern, Black Guillemot and Puffin (there were up to 40 present last week-end). Check out our Facebook page for images of recent trips.

The return boat will leave the island at 4.30 pm with docking at Donaghadee around 5 pm.

A Common Crane was reported flying north over Carlingford Lough today so worth looking out for. (Birdguides).

Thanks to Jane McLaughlin for the picture of the Gannet taken just off shore at Waterfoot, to Thom Shannon for the picture of the Spotted Flycatcher taken in his driveway and to Jason Bain for the picture of the Cuckoo from Capanagh.

The RSPB will be facilitating public access to the bottom viewing platform at the Seabird Centre on Rathlin Island from tomorrow, Saturday 23 May.

The visitor centre isn’t quite finished but this interim arrangement will at least allow visitors to see the seabirds. As there will be no access to the West Light (apart from the toilets) they won’t be charging an entrance fee.

A Little Tern was at the mouth of Dundrum Inner Bay, also present were two Whimbrel, twenty summer plumaged Sanderling, and 2 Cuckoo. (Stuart McKee).

A Glaucous Gull was at the Roe Estuary NNR on the 21st & 22nd May, 2
Whooper Swan were also present on both days. A
Cuckoo was close to Loughermore Forest on 20th May; another Cuckoo was at Tartnakelly townland nr Limavady on the 20th May, and one was close to Banagher Forest on the 21st. A
Spotted Flycatcher was at Banagher Glen NNR on 21st May. (Joe Furphy).

At Lough Beg a Wood Sandpiper was at Paddy's Dub and a male Ruff in the south-west corner (David Steele).

Thanks to James O'Neill for the picture of the Swift, David Hill for the picture of the Red-throated Diver, Stuart McKee for the picture of the Little Tern, Dick Glasgow for the picture of the young Rook from his garden and David Hunter for the picture of the Sandwich Terns.

A Gannet was at Lower Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh this morning. Originally seen near Ferny Island it flew down to Devenish and remained close to the public jetty in the afternoon. This is the third county record. The first was picked up injured in a field in Upper Lough Erne in the 1980s then Fionnbarr Cross and Peter Taylor found the second county record also at Devenish Island on 8th October 2013.
See pictures below. (Fionnbarr Cross/Brad Robson).

A Yellowhammer was at the beginning of the lane leading to the Giant’s Ring (just off the Ballynahatty road) in Belfast this morning. (Andrew Frazer).

3 Whimbrel were in Killough Harbour this evening (Chris Murphy)

2 Ruff were at Lough Beg (Tim Murphy).

The Curlew Sandpiper was still at Carrickfergus, see picture below. (Cameron Moore).

Thanks to Brad Robson for the pictures of the Gannet, Cameron Moore for the picture of the Curlew Sandpiper, to Dick Glasgow for the picture of the Merlin and to Eric Phillips for the picture of the Bullfinch.

A late report of a female type Marsh Harrier was seen at Lough Aghery which is located just outside Dromara Co Down. The bird was seen on the 16th, but could be hopefully be still in the area (Gerard McLaughlin)

A Reed Warbler was at Oxford Island (Fulton Somerville)

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen this afternoon in Derrymore Wood Bessbrook. (Frank Carroll)

Two Hooded Merganser were on Tory Island today (Anton Meehan per Chris Ingram)

There are still squares available for the BTO House Martin Survey 2015.

A very easy and relaxed survey to complete, the primary aim of this year’s survey is to estimate the current UK population, using a method that is repeatable so that we can
measure future changes in population size. We will also be trying to fill the gaps in our current knowledge about House Martin
breeding ecology and to find out if it varies geographically.
The survey builds on a small-scale study of House Martins carried out between 2009 and 2013.

It is based on randomly selected
1-km squares, which will be used to produce robust population estimates. We anticipate that there will be an additional survey
in 2016, which will involve regular observation of nests over the course of the breeding season, recording details of the timing of
nest activity and breeding success.

First visits should be made from 1st June and visits can be made at any time of day (apart from the first and last hours of daylight when birds may be roosting).

Welcome

This site is run by a voluntary group of birders documenting and recording information about the birds and wildlife of Northern Ireland. We provide information on rarities and interesting sightings. The sightings on this blog are not accepted records - rarities need to be confirmed, see https://nirbc.blogspot.co.uk/